Boxcar Park is a standout in a city full of impressive parks. The park, next to the Everett Farmers Market, offers impressive views of Jetty Island, seagoing boats, Whidbey and Gedney Islands, and the Olympic Mountains. Visit Boxcar on a Sunday and you’ll see market-goers filling up the grassy spaces, sitting on rocks next to the sea, and having a darn good time watching kites.
Make your market experience complete by getting value-added food at one of the booths and taking it to the waterfront for an impromptu Sunday picnic.
Here are your best bets for good food to go.
WOODFIRED PIZZA – First Church of Pizza
My wife and I split a personal Greek pizza from the First Church of Pizza. The pizzas are fired in a small oven and take about a minute to cook. The pizza chef was whistling along to crooner tunes and opera as he slipped pies in and out of the oven on a mercilessly hot day. Our ‘za came out with kalamata olives, red onions and feta cheese. Tasty!
MEAT PIES – Good to Go Meat Pies
I can’t vouch for this one personally, because I’m a vegetarian. But based on the long lines I see every time for this place, they must be doing something right. Portable meat pies seem to fill an important role in world cuisine– from piroshkis to empanadas to pot pies. What do you think of this place? Have you tried it yet?
SHAVED ICE – Hawaiian ParadICE
Again, the lines for this small booth stretch into the double digits every time I walk by. The hotter the day, the more people want that shaved ice, flavored with sweet fruit juices. This is a great treat for cooling off.
CRAB CAKES – Crabby’s Crab Cakes
Pescatarians rejoice! Q: What is better than seafood pulled fresh from the Salish Sea? A: Eating that seafood next to the Salish Sea. Crab cakes are deep fried breaded patties. Eating them on a bench at Boxcar Park while the briny breeze blows over you… this is what the Pacific Northwest is about, no?
COCOA NIBS – Breadfarm
My kids always ask to stop at the Breadfarm booth when they see it. Their cocoa nibs are a hit and only a dollar a pop. I tried a nibble (hey, you don’t steal a snack from your kids every once in awhile?) and I can see what the hype is about.
These cookies are flavorful, rich, buttery and not too sweet. Significantly, they hold together and don’t crumble into a million pieces in the hands of toddlers. That’s worth the price alone.
What’s your favorite treat? What did I miss? Visit the Market on Sundays and check out the Boxcar Park for yourself.
RICHARD PORTER – EVERETT LOVER
Richard Porter is a writer and musician. He lives in North Everett with his wife and two children. His favorite local activities include running on Marine View Drive, bicycling down tree-lined streets, and trying to coax vegetables out of his yard. He also works for Live in Everett as the Blog and Contributor Manager, and we’re stoked to have him.